Lost in Nirvana
by anjeriiia
Summary: Touko awoke to find her Pokemon missing and stranded in a mysterious location ran by wild, larger than average Pokemon. N reveled in the fact that the location was untainted by mankind where Pokemon can live in peace, never to be forced to fulfill selfish human desires. He's also ecstatic about his excellent taste in a friend, and the fact that they're the only humans there.
1. Chapter 1

Lost in Nirvana

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon…if I did, it would have been an amazing love story better than Twilight.

A/N: So…I finally played Pokémon Black and fell in love with the infamous ferrishwheelshipping. I won't make you read through their battle right at the very beginning as so many fanfics have already done so in the past. Instead, whatever happens now takes place right after their final battle. Starting with Touko awaking from unconsciousness after the final blast from Reshiram and Zekrom…

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**Chapter 1 **

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"_You lose. My victory is ensured…"_

Those words echoed through her mind over and over again, like a never ending mantra. Touko groaned softly from a dull, aching pain surging through her muscles as she turned to her side to maintain a better sleeping posture.

'But I didn't lose,' the young woman thought drowsily. 'My Zekrom fired the last attack. I'm sure of it!"

"_Zekrom is hurting…at this rate; you will lose...surrender now before you hurt him any further."_

'I believe in him. I have faith in Zekrom's power.'

Zekrom, Zekrom, Zekrom…

"Zekrom!" she heard herself shout to nothingness.

That was when it hit her. Her eyes snapped open and she awoke abruptly with a start, wincing in pain when her tired muscles screamed in silent agony. When the pain died down a little, the first thing Touko realized was that her Pokemon were nowhere to be seen in sight. She gasped in disbelief.

'Where are they? Zekrom? Cobalion? Victini? Samurott?'

Touko thought she probably returned them to their Pokeballs and had forgotten, but when she reached for the belt which contained them, she was only met an empty space where her Pokemon used to be.

Panic and fear began to constrict tightly at her chest. She felt choked as if invisible fingers were around her throat, squeezing the life out of her. The emotions of hopeless desperation overwhelmed her, and she shook almost violently from the thought that during her slumber, her precious Pokemon could have been captured by the enemy, or even worse, dead.

How could she have been so careless? She failed to protect her Pokemon. 'No', she thought shaking her head in shame. They weren't just Pokemon to her. They were her friends, her companions, and her precious family. Team Plasma must have taken her Pokemon and left her to rot in the forest alone.

'Forest?' She caught herself thinking and paused.

Realization dawned on her. For a second, she had almost forgotten about her dilemma. Touko took in the strangeness of her surroundings, gasping with awe and pure shock at the sight of enormous and majestic trees towering above and around her. Were trees able to grow this big? How did she end up in the forest alone?

There were too many trees to count. There were also too many questions left unanswered. Morning sunlight peeked through the branches and she could hear the soft cries of life and excitement chirping from the very canopy of the trees. Pokemon perhaps?

Touku squinted as her eyes followed the rays of sunlight until it was too bright that she had to shield her vision to see. She saw a few flocks of wild pidoves, pidgeys, and wingulls flying in the high expanse of sky, but frowned when she recognized none as hers. The forest appeared to be untouched, unseen, and strangely amicable. It looked peaceful and yet, it also looked savagely wild at the same time.

Her fingers slowly closed into a fist and her fingers bit into the soft moistness of the earth. She brought her hand to view and noticed the wet texture of healthy soil in her palm.

'This isn't Liberty Garden,' she thought to herself. Liberty Garden was the last place she remembered before slipping into unconsciousness.

Grimacing in pain as she tried to stand on her own two feet, she turned around in a circle allowing herself to drink in the sight before her. Although she heard the presence of Pokemon everywhere, none were in sight. If she did see something, they were either flying high in the sky or they have kept themselves well hidden from view.

Weird, impossible, strange, this can't be . . . those were the very words running through her head.

"If this isn't Liberty Garden, then where the HELL am I?" Touko mostly shouted to herself. Her only replies were a couple of Pokemon scurrying away in fright at the angry sound of her voice.

At hearing the snapping of twigs and crunching of dead leaves, Touko froze in place. She felt the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stand on its end. Something or someone was there with her. She swallowed the lump in her throat, too cautious to make a wrong move and endanger her life any further. If it was an angry wild Pokemon, she would be done for.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. _

The shuffling of the leaves came to a halt. She could've swore that she heard a small exhale of air, as if whatever it was had sighed in relief. Touko released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Hush. You are disturbing the peace of the forest," said a voice only Touko knew too well. No man possessed the same husky and chiding tone as his. She didn't know whether to jump with glee or panic at the thought of his presence. She turned at once, facing her longtime rival and nemesis. Right before her stood the king of Team Plasma, N Harmonia. Her blue eyes met his ash mauve ones unblinkingly.

There was a mirthful smirk on his lips. She glared at him.

"N," she grounded out in accusation. She was ready to punch him in the throat if he tried to do anything funny. She knew for a fact that none of her Pokemon were with her at the moment, and if she had to fight him with her own bare fists, then so be it.

N smiled boyishly, obviously unaffected by her threatening appearance.

"I'm glad to see you too," he said in a cheerfully sardonic manner. "I thought that you might be hungry so I went to go look for these."

She sniffed and cocked her head to the side curiously. What did he just say? Her eyes drifted down to the bundle of freshly picked fruits in his arms. Her stomach betrayed her, growling greedily in response. When was the last time she eaten again? She did not remember.

"Do you care for apples? Or do you prefer oranges?" he asked, motioning for her to glance his way.

Lowering her guard a little, her gaze flickered at him.

"Where are my Pokemon?" Touko demanded.

Without saying a word, N somehow managed to take off his jacket and place it carefully on the forest floor. He set the fruits on top, arranging them by type and color just like a little kid arranging his shapes. He looked almost ridiculous. If it were any other situation, Touko would have thought it was a cute that a grown man was fussing over something as irrelevant as categorizing fruits by its appearance. He beckoned for the young woman to come over with his hand.

"I'll answer all of your questions as soon as you eat. I suspect that you have not eaten ever since our battle a day ago."

"A day ago?" Touko spat out loudly before she could stop herself. Again, the rustlings of frightened critters were loud and audible and running away from _HER_.

N sighed. "You ought to not shout like that. The wild Pokemon are afraid of you. We both don't have any Pokemon on us and if they find us to be a threat to them, they will attack-"

Flabbergasted, she cut him off. "What do you mean we both don't have any Pokemon?"

N pursed his lips, frowning.

"Eat first, and I'll talk," he promised, and threw an apple at her.

Surprised at such an unexpected movement, Touko caught the fruit with little struggle. Seeing N indulging in his breakfast silently, Touko decided that he was harmless enough and went to seat herself across from him. If he tried to do anything funny, she'll knee him in the balls and escape.

After all, they have known each other by name for awhile. Even she knew him to be quite a gentleman although their views on certain subjects were on a whole other level. In fact, this was the first time they were alone with each other without battling. Touko was sure that if she had her Pokemon with her, they would be having another heated battle like the last.

"This feels a little nice," he grumbled contentedly. It was followed by a relaxed sigh. He turned to look at her with a child-like grin on his handsome face.

"This is the first time I've ever had breakfast with someone other than Concordia and Anthea. Even then, they only watch me as I eat," he finally said, which made her raise a questioning brow.

'Okay, so he is trying to create small talk,' Touko thought, mentally sighing with impatience. She decided she'll go along with it as long as it led to her receiving fast answers.

"I would imagine that you'd eat with Team Plasma at a long table or something. "

N chuckled at her response. He looked at her with those unwavering eyes of his.

"Hey, you're kind of funny."

"Oh yeah, I get that a lot," Touko muttered, half tempted to roll her eyes but paused when she noticed that N was not intending to look away anytime soon. He stared at her for several overwheming minutes. Touko swallowed the invisible lump forming in her throat, not quite sure why she was feeling a little uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"About your Pokemon," he finally said at last. His eyes were relentless, never looking away as he spoke. If anything, he seemed to have closed the distance a little and leaned towards her. "If you lost to me in battle, I would have released them at once."

Touko's brows narrowed and she felt anger beginning to boil in the pit of her stomach. Just as she was about to retort with unpleasant series of words, N beat her to it first.

"Perhaps I would have captured you as well and kept you in Liberty Garden to keep me company," he continued, watching her eyes grow wide with incredulousness. "I've decided that if I wanted anyone to be my friend, that person has to be you. And only you." N seemed to have reveled in the information he just disclosed.

Touko gaped. She was at a loss for words. This man is insane! He wanted to…wanted to...she couldn't even bring herself to complete her train of thought. He wanted to capture her? He basically told her he was going to kidnap her as soon as she lost the battle, not that she was going to anyway. He was also downright honest about his plans too! It was as if he was expecting her to be happy about it and that greatly disturbed her. Touko didn't know if she should laugh or cry at such an unbelievable declaration.

"But I didn't see who won the match," N confessed, raking a hand through his unruly green hair. He had a regretful expression on his face.

"But I-"

N wouldn't allow her to interrupt. "I do not understand it myself, but Zekrom and Reshiram's powerful last blow seemed to have knocked us both unconscious. To be quite frank, I don't really remember what happened. The next thing you know, I woke up with you in the middle of the forest and found that we are no longer in Liberty Garden. You must have been exhausted. You have slept since we got here."

Her health was the last thing on her mind at the moment, and she quickly brushed away his comment of the state of her wellbeing. She definitely did not trust him or the words leaving his mouth.

"What about my Pokemon?" Touko reminded, glaring daggers at the man in front of her.

N's gaze left hers and he stared at the sky with a solemn look on his face. "I don't know. It seems that my friends are not here as well."

Touko stood up, pointing an accusing finger at him. She couldn't bear to sit and listen to his lies any longer. He didn't look like he was finished with his little sob story either, but Touko would not have any of it. "You did release them, didn't you?"

N only sighed tiredly. Following suit, he stood up as well and faced the young woman who was obviously quite distressed by the news.

"Say what you want, but I assure you that I did no such thing," he returned with a suspicious calm. "If I did release them, it would have meant that you've lost the battle to me. I think we would be enjoying a nice breakfast at around this time, don't you think?"

This only proved to anger the young woman even further. He was so damn confident and arrogant about defeating her, and whatever he planned to do afterwards just bother the hell out of her. She fumed, glaring lasers at the man before her.

The thought that she may never seen her beloved friends again terrified her. Her lips shook as she fought the unshed and angry tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She blinked, willing for the tears to go away.

"You're insane!" Touko retorted, running out of intelligent things to say. At this point, she felt so sick and furious that she didn't know what to think of him. He was the only person there. He was the only person to blame, and she hadn't even investigated their current situation yet. She was frustrated with herself for blaming him without knowing the facts, and she was also frustrated that out of all people, it just had to be N.

N for crying out loud!

If he was bothered by her anger, then he sure didn't show any signs of it. Instead, he stared at her with those cool eyes of his and appeared to look . . . weary.

"I don't understand why you refuse to see things my way. I would be doing what I believe is best for Pokemon."

That was always his reply. It was always that same same statement. He had his mind made up about what he thought was right a long time ago, and it had not changed. They have had so many arguments like this in the past. She can no longer count how many times this topic came out every time they encounter one another. Her reply was also always the same.

"How do you know that destroying the bonds shared between a trainers and Pokemon is what's best for them? Do you not think for a second that Pokemon share the same kind of love for their human friends?"

"Pokemon and humans aren't meant to be together."

"Your argument is invalid!"

"So is yours."

Touko growled. N's expression did not change.

"You know what!? I'm not even going to argue with you," the brunette muttered exasperatedly, throwing her hands into the air. "I'm going to look for my Pokemon."

Releasing a stubborn puff of air, Touko turned away from him and began to make her way through the forest. N stared at her back as she walked further away from him.

"You can't honestly think that that I'll believed you for even a second. I'm not buying any of this crap. It seems to me like you're suggesting that Zekrom and Reshiram's fusion flare somehow managed to magically unveil a hole in space and zapped us here. What's that word again? Teleport? Please, spare me the idiocracy."

N visibly tensed at her sarcastic remark.

"Teleport…?"

He eyed her form thoughtfully. Why hadn't he thought of that? It did seem plausible. After all, Reshiram and Zekrom are so powerful that anything could have resulted from their destructive blow during their battle. A slow smile crept on his lips and he began to follow her.

N knew he made an excellent choice when he decided that he wanted to befriend her. Only a person of her caliber is worthy enough to be in his presence. He snickered to himself at the thought.

Touko's feminine but firm voice broke him away from his thoughts, which also succeeded to stop him in his tracks. She must've noticed him following and turned to leer at him disdainfully.

"All right genius. Let me prove you wrong. When I find all of my Pokemon, we can finish our battle so I can finally sleep peacefully tonight. The thought of allowing you to capture me makes me sick."

Just as she resumed walking again, she also made sure to say, "And don't you dare follow me either."

As Touko walked away, only the sound of leaves shuffling beneath her feet were audible to the ears. N's gazed was fixed intently on her smaller form as she stormed off. She had no Pokemon with her, and neither does she have the ability to talk to them the way he could. She would be an easy victim to kill if the wild Pokemon deemed her a threat. N saw that she was vulnerable, small, and unprotected. It roused the masculine side of him that wanted to guard her; he wanted to protect the person he called a friend.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Touko," N said in a low and surprisingly gentle voice.

Touko paused, curious about his sudden allegation.

"And why not? Are you going to stop me?" she challenged, placing her hands on her hips.

N's eyes flashed with something the young woman can't quite decipher. It was somewhat in between amusement and arrogance.

"During our short stay here, I have come to realize a couple of things."

Touko opened her mouth to speak, but the expression on N's face prevented her from doing so. She suddenly became very self-conscious and insecure with the way he was looking at her.

"One, you don't have any Pokemon under your possession and therefore, you aren't capable of protecting yourself."

That felt like a slap to the face. Touko frowned at how much he belittled her. "I am perfectly capable of protecting myself, thank you very much!"

N seemed to have not heard her, however.

"Two, this forest is untainted by human hands. The wild Pokemon here had never seen people walk about here, so it's possible that your death may result from your carelessness. And three . . ."

Touko swallowed a lump in her throat, slightly afraid of what he was going to say next and yet, she mentally dared him to say it.

"You need me."

He froze momentarily when the petite woman began to stomp toward his way. His eyes widen a fraction when she was right before him, glowering and fuming.

"N, shut up."

Before Touko gave him a chance to explain himself, the left side of his face met with her small, powerful fist.

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**TBA…**

So…what do you think? Does it have potential? I have this crazy idea about N and Touko being teleported to some unknown island where they'll be stuck there and have to depend on each other for awhile. Constructive criticism and encouraging kind words are always welcomed! This is unbeta'd, so any mistakes are my own. I am also interested in looking for a beta reader too, since a second eye always helps for a writer to improve. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokemon.

**A/N:** Hello everyone! Thank you for your kind words of encouragement! I don't mean to rush an update, but it would be a little while before I have time to write again because of midterms. I have a love/hate relationship this chapter, so I may or may not replace it in the future. Honestly, I should have combined it with the first chappie…but oh well. Again, this is unbeta'd so any mistakes are mine and mine alone. ;] Reviews fuel my passion for writing, so please do leave your mark to tell me how I'm doing! Enjoy~!

_**Lost in Nirvana**_

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**Chapter 2**

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"Stop that, it hurts!" N snarled, attempting to pull his face away from the grip of young brunette woman. Touko gave him a disapproving look and tightened her hold. She pulled the young man closer to inspect the red bruise on his pale cheek.

She made a mental note to herself that she will never lay a hand, or a fist, on another person again if she was just going to feel bad about it later.

"Hold still…! Let me take a look at it," Touko cajoled, holding N's jaw in her hands. "It's not that bad. See look! The swelling is already starting to go down!"

If Touko didn't feel so guilty at the moment, she would laugh at the child-like pout on his face.

N "hmphed" indignantly and looked away from her. He was throwing a bit of a tantrum after Touko struck him above his left the jaw earlier. He looked like a little boy refusing to forgive his mother for not buying his favorite toy. The king tried to swat her hand away from his face again, but again, Touko refused to relent.

"That really hurt, you know? No one has ever dared to raise a hand on me!"

"Look, I already said I'm sorry! Just…stay still for a second!"

"What if you hit me again?"

"I won't!"

N wasn't convinced. He didn't understand why she would hit him for telling her the truth. It would've been a lie if he said it didn't hurt. For such a small woman, she possessed the strength of a fighting type Pokemon! It wasn't his fault that he was such an honest person. He didn't realize that if he stated the obvious, he would suffer greatly from it. Wasn't that preferable compared to lying?

He remembered the time when he was still a little boy and had snuck out of Team Plasma's quarters to go play with a woobat he saw earlier that day. When his father questioned him about it, he lied about sneaking out in order to avoid getting punished. Of course Ghetsis saw right through him. The next morning, that same woobat was brought over to him beaten and battered. He remembered crying about it for days on end, feeling horribly terrible about what he had done.

"_Oh, the poor little woobat," Ghetsis had said, his cold gaze looming over his young son. "I hope you understand that this is your fault. This is what happens to your friends every time you tell a lie. Are you ever going to lie to your father again?"_

"_N-no," hiccupped a young N. _

"_Now that's a good son. Run along to your room and stay out of trouble. Don't try to leave without my permission again."_

Although Ghetsis stopped using injured Pokemon to provoke him, those words still continue to haunt him to this very day. N had not told a single lie ever since. He was one to speak his mind openly, even if the people of Unova would dislike him for it. The thought that Touko might hate him was unsettling. She had hit him because she did not want to hear the truth much like the people of Unova. Could he really blame her? If the people of Unova felt the same way Touko did, then imagine the amount of punches he would be receiving. The only thing different about Touko was that she would feel bad afterwards. He was positive that the people of Unova wouldn't be as forgiving.

He won't change his views about Pokemon just because he wanted Touko to like him though. He was determined to find a way around it and befriend her despite their different ideals.

Still, he wanted her to suffer a bit for hitting him. He wanted her to feel sorry for what she did. He felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that she regretted bringing him physical pain. He felt happy even, but he can't show how happy he is at the moment though because that would be suspicious. Plus, Touko's punch _did _hurt and that made it much easier for him to act annoyed with her. If staying angry meant that Touko would pay a little more attention to him, then he didn't mind it too much.

Plus, Ghetsis wasn't there to call him weak. He also didn't need to put up a kingly façade for Team Plasma. The people Unova weren't there to force a cold, merciless expression or a forced smile upon his face. With Touko, he can just be himself. He liked the idea of being able to express his true self without having the presence of others to deter him. That pleased him, and he almost smiled at the thought.

Oh, right. He was supposed to be angry with Touko.

The woman in question administered a disgruntled look when N remained stubborn as a Stantler and refused to look at her.

"Oh stop being a big baby!" Touko huffed, perturbed.

He avoided her gaze and glanced the other way without uttering a single word.

"You had it coming! Did anyone not tell you to never provoke a girl? Now relax a little and look this way!"

N's expression did not falter, and if possible, he craned his neck even further away from her.

"You shouldn't have said those things to me," Touko muttered. He stiffened considerably at her words.

"You would rather I lie to you?"

"I can protect myself."

"I admire your confidence, but let's be realistic now. Against a wild Pokemon, you are defenseless."

Touko scoffed. "Are you suggesting that having YOU around would keep me safe?"

"More or less."

Her brows creased in agitation. She knew that arguing with N would be useless as always. No, scratch that. N doesn't argue. He just states what he wants and allowed no room for arguments. Touko shook her head, deciding to move away from the subject and concentrate on his bruise. He was still adamant about not allowing Touko to look at his wound though.

"If you won't let me take a look at it, I swear I'll do what it takes until you do," Touko threatened. N remained unmoving, as if he was challenging her.

Sighing almost apologetically, she placed one hand on the top of his head and the other on his chin and nearly yanked his head toward her despite his credulous demeanor. She somehow managed to not snap his neck while at it too.

"Ow!" N snapped alarmingly. Touko forced him to look at her, holding his head firmly in place. She wondered what happened to NOT disturbing the peace of the forest.

"Hold still! " She scolded, ushering for him to stay motionless. The young king emitted a low sound of irritation.

"Is punching me is not enough? Now you want to break my neck too?"

Touko rolled her eyes at his remark. She wanted to reply with a snarky comment, but her expression dissipated only to be overtaken with the rarest hint of guilt when she remembered why he was in pain in the first place.

N did a little happy dance in his head when he noticed the downcast expression upon her facial features.

"Calm down! I just want to check it out," Touko assured, gently sweeping strands of green hair away from his face. Despite her harsh tone, she was surprisingly careful. Her soft fingers gently stroked the angry red bruise forming on his pale cheek, frowning at her handiwork. Somehow, she didn't feel any better after lashing at him like that. She felt ashamed. She would have felt better if he cursed at her, scream, hit her back even.

She hated to admit it, but it wasn't like the things he said weren't true. She was just too damn proud to accept his help, especially since she saw him as nothing more than the enemy.

'Oh Touko. Stupid Touko,' the younger woman thought inwardly. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid Touko. Heroes aren't supposed to feel sorry and offer a helping hand to the enemy after pushing them down. What were you thinking?'

As though he sensed Touko's inner turmoil, the young king decided to spare her anymore agony and mention something that might please her. Plus, it might even gain him a step closer to their friendship. He cleared his throat, opting to get her attention.

"What now?"

"I thought I should let you know that your backpack is over there," N said, gesturing at the area where she first found herself when she had awoken. Her eyes followed the movement and found it to be true. Her backpack WAS there leaning against another bag which she assumed to be his. Beside their bags lied a pitiful little bed made of large banana leaves. It certainly didn't look comfortable, but its message was loud and clear. The trainer wondered why she had not noticed it before, but then remembered regretfully that her infamous temper often blinded her. Touko nearly leapt with joy, but instead, she stared at the king analytically.

"You…took care of me while I was unconscious?" she asked, not quite believing it herself.

"I was intending to tell you earlier, but this angry little trainer wouldn't allow me to explain."

Remorse filled her gut she chuckled sheepishly at the memory. Wasting no more time, Touko stood and walked over to her bag, unzipped it, and began to rummage through her things. She saw her Pokeballs but was overtaken by disappointment when she found them all to be empty.

"I guess my Pokemon are really gone," she whispered to herself.

Quickly remembering what she was looking for, she searched through the contents of her bag. She always carried a first-aid kit with her in her backpack in case of emergencies. When the brunette found the box, she pulled the entire thing out of her backpack and placed it on her lap. Opening the kit, she took out a little jar of ointment and a band-aid.

She stood, making her way toward the young man who all but watched her intently. She unwound the cap from the ointment and used a finger to pick up some of the product.

"This might sting a bit, but try to bear with it okay?"

N hissed when he felt her gently stroke the medicine onto his abused cheek. He jerked away from her touch at the sharp pain it had emitted. Touko reduced the pressure, carefully rubbing the medicine onto the swollen area. N was no longer trying to avoid her; however, he would twitch every so often when Touko's finger would graze over the sensitive area.

Despite the stinging sensation on his cheek, he felt a wave of peace overcome him as she tended to his wound. She was gentle, careful, and definitely not vicious like she was before. This must be the real Touko. The other Touko was blinded by rage, fear, and confusion. This Touko is brash but rational, scolding but caring . . .

Was this how she treated her Pokemon after a hard, honorable battle? Does she tend to their wounds just as tenderly?

"It's going to bruise, but don't worry. Your face won't suffer any deformities," Touko said, trying to initiate a failed attempt at humor. A frown tugged at her lips when N didn't find her joke funny.

She un-wrapped the band-aid and applied it onto the bruise which was now no more of an angry pink stain on his cheek. The medicine that Touko had applied on him worked its magic quite fast. N decided that he would have to ask where she had got it later.

"There! All better!" She said, smiling proudly at a good job well done.

When N did not utter a word, she exclaimed," Are you still mad at me? Oh, quit being so dramatic! This was your fault in the first place!"

N snorted. "First, you hit me and now you blame me? Is this how you treat a person who wants to be your friend?"

Touko pursed her lips, frowning guiltily. She already apologized for the hundredth time! Well, one hundred times would be an exaggeration, but Touko never thought that N would be type to hold grudges.

He really was like a big baby. Throwing a tantrum, pouting, using the silent treatment on her…he wasn't exactly what she had pictured in mind. During their meetings back in Unova, he would usually keep himself cool and composed, devoid of emotions other than his passion for Pokemon. She thought he was the man to gaze coldly at those who oppose him, and he would force others to see his way as he saw fit. She was also under the impression that he would fight to save his man pride and dignity, but he didn't.

Suddenly remembering her backpack, she threw a questioning glance his way. He mirrored the expression, raising a brow.

"Do you want to ask me something?"

"My backpack…" Touko started to say. N tilted his head in response. "Did you…happen to look through it?" It wasn't like she had anything too important inside it besides her clothes, toiletries, and small little tools that would prove useful on a Pokemon journey.

However, nothing in the world could ever prepare her for his reply.

"If I hadn't looked through it, how was I supposed to change your clothes?"

"You WHAT?!" Touko squeaked, immediately wrapping both arms protectively around her chest and glanced down at her current clothing. Instead of her usual white tank top, black vest, and jean shorts, she was wearing her Pokeball t-shirt and black athletic spandex shorts. Indeed, they were different from the previous outfit she had passed out in, much to her horror.

"Now what did I tell you about shouting in the forest?" N scolded, glaring at the young woman sternly. Then his expression softened. "Well, you obviously couldn't dress yourself while you're unconscious."

"B-but then that would have meant you saw m-me…" The word died on her lips. She couldn't even say it without feeling incredibly violated. N smirked.

"Naked?" he offered, but Touko only sunk deeper into despair.

"I don't understand why you are so horrified. If anything, you should be grateful. I also gave you a bath…well, I couldn't exactly get you into the water, but I did wipe away all the dirt and smudge off your body."

Touko's face reddened immensely at the confession, not knowing how to feel about the statement. She felt a little angry and embarrassed at the same time. Why did he have to say it like that? It made her feel so gross. She felt a disturbing need to shower immediately and wash away her embarrassment.

"If it makes you feel any better, your body wasn't entirely too bad to look at."

"That…doesn't make me feel any better," she whined, sinking her red face further into her palms.

"I was waiting for you to wake up, but when you didn't, I had no choice. Naturally, I would have either Anthea or Concordia do it for you, but it couldn't be helped since I am the only person you have at that time. You appeared to look so uncomfortable that I tried to ease a little of your misery by doing you a favor."

Touko only felt worse with every word that came out of his mouth. The guy was just too damn honest for his own good. He could have lied to make her feel better. She heard him sniff disdainfully.

"Honestly, your reaction had me a little insulted."

Touko's eyes shot up at him wondering why he sounded cross when it was she who should be angry, but froze instantaneously upon seeing the serious expression on his face.

"Do I look like someone who would take advantage of a helpless woman?" His tone had a bit of ice in it. Her brows rose considerably at his question.

"What?" She uttered in disbelief.

Rumors have said that N possessed a pure and innocent heart devoid of dark any human desires, but hearing him say in person actually surprised her. As though he read her mind, he sighed in defeat and brought a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

His cool gaze broke away from hers, but his tone lowered a pitch.

"I'm not stupid, Touko. My father was a fool to think that he can hide the world away from me forever. He underestimated me, thinking he could control me if I was not exposed to the bouts of humankind." The last bit of information was probably more for himself than her, but Touko gaped nonetheless.

"He isolated me away from people when I was a boy, never allowing for me to enjoy the company of another because he feared that happiness would steer me away from my ambition. I was never allowed to know more; he feared that knowledge would make me rebellious."

His stared at her at last, his gaze piercing. "Eventually, even innocent little boys have to grow up. Despite Ghetsis' protests, I would come find out about these things whether I wish to or not."

N motioned towards her with a wave of a hand. "I've only changed your clothes and cleaned you up. I did nothing more."

Again, shame welled within the pit of her stomach. It wasn't like she accused him of having his way with her, but the way he spoke made her feel so guilty as if it was her fault. The young woman remained silent, unsure of how to deal with him at the moment. How does he keep doing that? She would get so angry with him, only for him to turn it right back against her. It was just like their Pokemon battles. No matter what attack she threw at him, he seemed to counter her every move and use it against her. Touko sighed gruffly. Making up her mind, she sat directly across from him. N raised a questioning brow.

"Fine! If it makes you feel any better, you can hit me!"

N paused, shooting her a quizzical look.

"Why should I do that?"

"Because . . . because I hit you first! And, and I probably deserved to be hit!" She squeezed her eyes shut and balled her hands into fists at her sides.

"I-I'm not afraid of pain. Hurry up before I change my mind!" Touko urged rashly, her voice laced with resolve. "Hit me with all you've got."

Several seconds passed. Touko still did not feel the force of N's fist upon her cheek. She was beginning to feel uneasy, sitting there in front of him with her eyes closed and all. What was he doing? This was his chance to get revenge and settle this the way men do.

"I can't do this all day you know!?" she mentioned, threatening to open her eyes.

There was no reply.

All the while, N sat before her, allowing his eyes to roam terraces of her face. A slow, amused expression graced his features. This must be her own stubborn way of apologizing to him. Why can't she just come out and say it like a normal person? But then again, he wasn't a normal either.

He decided that he was indeed, a cruel, cruel man which he probably inherited from his own father. The young man wasn't even upset with her, but he enjoyed seeing her feel so guilty for his sake that he couldn't help provoking her, taking advantage of her kind heart. It filled up the empty void in his soul. It made him feel important. Only Touko can make him feel this way.

He felt disgusted with himself.

His grey eyes continue to stare at her, noticing for the first time how long her lashes were. He then realized that he had never taken the time to observe Touko, the person whom he had chosen to be his friend. Whenever they do have their brief encounters, they would be at the opposite ends of a Pokemon stadium where they both indulge in battle. She was never close and always too far away from his reach. Now she was right here, sitting in front of him like a dream.

N also took note of how her cheeks are tinted the brightest shade of red. Perhaps she was still embarrassed that he saw her without clothes, but he didn't mention that he never fully stripped her from her undergarments, but he would leave that up to her imagination. He respected her too much to invade her privacy. He wondered if her thick brown hair was as soft as it looked. Besides Pokemon, he had never found another person to be pretty before. Yes, Touko is pretty. Then his gaze drifted downwards to her lips. They were pink, pouty, and beckoning for him to lean closer.

He did so without even realizing it.

"N?" Touko tried again.

"..."

"I-I'm going to open my eyes now."

"…"

Her brows knitted in confusion. Grumbling with irritation, her eyes snapped open to only meet his silvery gaze just a few inches away from hers. Just a little more and their lips could've been touching.

He looked so serious, his own gaze scrutinizing deep with concentration. Had N been eyeballing her the entire time? Touko felt a rush of heat rise to her cheeks; however, she was still too shocked to move, let alone speak. When he smiled that lady-killer smile as if to say 'hello', Touko felt her stomach lurch and climb to her throat. She felt choked. The red dusting of her cheeks only intensified and her breath quickened. His next words made her feel like she'd been zapped by Pikachu's electric shock.

"Have I ever mentioned how cute you are?"

Her resolve quickly forgotten, she couldn't decide which was worst: N being too close for comfort, or those words that just left his mouth. Without thinking, Touko yelped and shoved the stunned young man away from her. She stood on wobbly feet, but staggered backwards and away from the boy like he was a poisonous bug.

"Eeep!"

What's with this woman and her strength? Luckily, N landed on his bottom with his hands on either side to brace his weight against the ground. His expression twisted with astonishment. He shot her a dirty look. Touko felt a rush of remorse when she spotted a tiny fraction of hurt upon his face.

"What was that for?" N admonished, clearly not understanding why she would react so violently to such a nice comment.

Touko's face was still red with embarrassment. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him without flushing red all over again. How did he keep doing this to her? He had embarrassed her twice in a row without even really trying to.

"Y-you were supposed to hit me! Not stare at me!"

She felt pathetic and foolish at the same time. It was a humiliating feeling. She would rather shoot herself before she'd ever allowed herself to feel that stupid ever again.

"But I don't want to hit you."

"You should have!"

If he had hit her, she would still have some pride and dignity left. Now, she just felt like a prudish school girl who despised cooties. Boy cooties. She slapped herself mentally at the thought.

'Relax Touko! It wasn't like he kissed you or something! You're such an idiot!' she screamed at herself introspectively.

"I would rather look at you than hit you," N muttered in a quiet voice. He spoke as if it was the most natural thing to do.

"You don't do those kind of things to people you don't know very well! People would think you're weird!"

N furrowed his brows, cocking his head to the side. Touko couldn't tell how he felt by what she said, but his eyes did slightly widen upon hearing it.

"People don't like to receive compliments? Would they prefer insults?"

She glowered at him, refusing to explain herself even though she was referring to him being too close.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what do you mean?"

She gave him an expression that silently screamed, 'Are you freaking kidding me?' He was dead serious. He looked like he honestly wanted to know. For a great leader to Unova's Team Plasma, the king sure lacked proper social skills. Touko wanted to bang her head repeatedly against the nearest tree and scream.

"Y-you just don't tell your enemy that she's cute!" She sputtered nervously. N frowned at her choice of the term "enemy." It didn't sound very pleasant to his ears.

"But you're not my enemy."

"I-"

Touko stilled at once, giving him a sideways glance. "I'm…not?"

"I've never once considered you an enemy. Even though you do stand in my way during my conquest to find peace for Pokemon, I have never called you as such."

When she did not reply, he also added, "When I said that I wanted to be your friend, I had meant it."

He looked genuine as he said that. Touko was once again speechless. She had this idea in her mind for so long that the hero and the enemy can never be friends. She had it all set in her mind that N was the bad guy; he was the one who wanted to take away the bonding between trainers and their Pokemon and it was her job to stop him and bring peace to the world. Even as the reminders ran through her head, she was quickly beginning to doubt herself. The man before her is supposed to be the enemy, and yet, he never once claimed her to be his. There was definitely something wrong with the picture.

"Do you hate me, Touko?" he asked quietly.

The question froze her on the spot and she her expression became rigid. She mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. If she said anything, she was afraid that it might come out wrong and she would hurt him all over again.

"I know we both didn't exactly start off on good terms ever since we both got here, but I don't want you to hate me."

Perhaps it was the crestfallen expression on his face that made her heart waver. The man she always saw as a confident and proud was sitting on the forest floor, looking lost and lonely like a little boy. She blinked once…twice...

"I . . ." Touko began to say, peering at him apprehensively. Her voice was such a low murmur that N almost had trouble hearing it. "I don't hate you."

Startled, he raised his head and gave her an expression what voiced, 'Really?'

Feeling flustered at the admission, Touko immediately spun away from his sight. If N expected her to say anything more, then he is in for a big disappointment. Letting out a huff of air, she abruptly stepped away from him.

"I … I …just remembered that I have to go find my Pokemon!" she sputtered tenaciously, avoiding further conversation with the king. She began to stomp off blindly into the forest.

The forlorn look on N's face was quickly replaced by a grave expression; however, Touko failed to notice it as she sauntered away, grumbling beneath her breath.

"Wait Touko, there's a-"

At the panicked tremor in N's voice, she glanced behind her shoulder irritably, wondering what the young man was fussing about.

It was too late. Before N could finish, Touko found herself tumbling feet first into a ravine.

"Touko!"

::::::…

::::::…

In a large, dark office of Team Plasma's great sage, a roar like no other erupted and shook the walls in the room. Two women kneeled before a green haired man, bowing respectfully to their lordship.

"N IS WHAT!?" he growled, his jaws clenched. "MISSING YOU SAY!?"

Ghetsis heaved angrily, pacing back and forth in his dark office and grumbled curses while he was at it.

Concordia and Anthea merely kneeled before their lord's father, unmoving.

"What happened? I demand to know every detail of the battle between my son and that blasted girl. If she is responsible for his disappearance, I will hunt her down and make her regret ever stepping foot into my son's life."

Concordia's gaze flickered from the mahogany floor to the fuming sage in front of her.

"The girl appeared to be missing too," she reported with a leveled voice.

Ghetsis eyes grew wide with rage.

"And the legendaries?"

"They also disappeared from the site along with the rest of their Pokemon."

Ghetsis snarled viciously.

"If my assumption is correct, his highness and the girl disappeared right after Zekrom and Reshiram fired the final attack."

The older man released a low humming sound, thinking deeply about what he should do in order to retrieve the young king back to his place in the castle. He turned to address the goddesses.

"Find him immediately," the old sage snarled. "And bring him back. As for the girl, bring her to me. I'll take her of her myself."

"We've already tried. We cannot seem to get a grasp of his location," Anthea said, her voice strong and unwavering.

At this, Ghetsis shoved the contents of his desk viciously onto the floor. Papers swished everywhere, covering the floor with white and pens scattered about, clanking noisily. Well aware of the older man's temper, the two women did not flinch.

"I don't care where he is," the sage rasped in a low murmur. "I expect him to be found as soon as possible. Send Team Plasma out on a search party and bring the king back to me at once!"

Concordia and Anthea nodded in unison, their gaze never moving from the ground.

"Yes, my lord."

::::::::….

TBC…


End file.
